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Creating kick sounds with a Modular synth

Dave Gale continues his monthly look at the Eurorack world and unravels the best starting point for creating great-sounding electronic drums…

It has to be said that drums are possibly the single most common and (debatably) important factor in electronic music. For many, the sound of the drums used on a track will almost serve as a date-stamp for when a track was produced. So, why is this? Well, in the same way that the computer you have on your desk (or now, more likely, tablet on your knee!) will give us a clue as to the year, so will the sonic signature of the drums on a track.

Old favourites

And so it came to pass that Roland made many drum machines in the late-70s and early 80s – two of which were deemed obsolete and out-of-date within a few years of production, thanks to the onslaught of the digital sampling age. This meant that many bedroom producers bought them cheaply in the late-80s, and the rest, as they say, is scribed in musical history.

As many of us know, vintage 808s and 909s still seem to cost a small fortune, yet us Eurorack folk can create more than a passing resemblance to the original, with a little thought and knowhow. We can even evolve them into something completely different in character, which might inspire new musical directions.

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Find the complete article and many more in this issue of
MusicTech
-
Jul-16